


Pour me a Drink

by Vidriana



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Bartender AU, Drunk flirting, Fluff, M/M, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-23 02:46:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11393763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vidriana/pseuds/Vidriana
Summary: “What can I get you?”Brayden turns, ready to order another beer and freezes. The bartender is standing in front of him with one eyebrow raised quizzically and obviously waiting for Brayden’s answer, but all Brayden can do is stare.(It's just Brayden's luck that the bartender at the team's favourite celebration spot is incredibly hot)





	Pour me a Drink

**Author's Note:**

  * For [verbaeghe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/verbaeghe/gifts).



> Dear mishey,
> 
> when I saw that one of your requests was Brayden/Val, I couldn't resist. I hope you like this little AU!
> 
> The Underage Drinking tag refers to the fact that Brayden is 20 throughout this fic.

The bar isn’t crowded when they get there, but Brayden doesn’t think they’d have trouble getting a table even if it was. His head is still spinning from the fact that he’s in the NHL now and that he’s just won his first home game, so he just lets Johnny push him down in a booth and tell him to scoot over so they can all fit. He gladly takes a gulp of the beer that Stammer sets down in front of him moments later. 

“Good job tonight, rookie,” Stammer says and ruffles Brayden’s hair affectionately, and Brayden can feel his cheeks heat, because that’s _Steven Stamkos_ and even though he’s been nothing but supportive, Brayden still feels a bit starstruck.

“Thanks,” he croaks out and takes another large sip of his beer to hide his embarrassment. Jo laughs at him from his other side and nudges him in the ribs with a grin. “Don’t worry, it’s like that for everyone in the beginning,” he says sagely, like he wasn’t just a rookie last year as well. Stammer snorts and raises an eyebrow. 

“You were never this quiet or polite,” he says with a grin and Jo gives him a sugary sweet smile in response.

“You wouldn’t want me to be,” he says, self assured, making Stammer laugh and shake his head as he walks away to sit down in his usual spot next to Heddy. Brayden’s pretty sure he’s missing something and it makes him feel a bit lost. He shifts a bit in his seat and looks around the table. 

Jonny and Pally are sitting together, as they always are, and they look like they’re trying to convince a very skeptical looking Kuch of something with lots of hand gestures. Vasy and Vladdy are sitting next to them and talking quietly, with ducked heads. Further down the table Bish and Boyler seem to be arguing over something on the menu.

Brayden fidgets again. It’s always been weird to be the new guy on a team, but he’s never felt quite as out of his depth. Just as he’s trying to decide what he should do, someone wraps an arm around his shoulder.

When he turns, Jo is grinning at him with a sparkle in his eyes that can’t mean anything but trouble. “You know what you need?” Jo asks, and before Brayden can take a guess or try to get out of it he continues, “You need some shots.” Then he struts off to the bar and, well, that’s that then.

————— 

It’s possible that Brayden might be a bit drunk. His throat feels dry and kind of scratchy and he’s warm even though he’d taken off his jacket a while ago and is only wearing a t shirt. He’s slumped against Jo and it’s comfortable, but Jo isn’t paying any attention to him, just frowning down at his phone instead.

The good mood Brayden had been in is slowly leaving him and he’s starting to feel out of place again. He chances a look at the other guys, but most of them are either lost in conversation or watching Johnny and Pally attempt to build a wonky tower out of beer coasters.

“‘m gonna get another drink,” he mumbles to Jo, who ignores him, and slides out of the booth. He doesn’t stumble when he makes his way to the bar, so he’s probably not actually that drunk.

Someone bumps into him when he reaches it and Brayden turns to glare at them, but they're already walking away, staggering into random other people on their way back to their table and Brayden wonders if this level of intoxication is usual for a weekday in Florida. A deep voice coming from behind him shakes him out of his musing.

“What can I get you?”

Brayden turns, ready to order another beer and freezes. The bartender is standing in front of him with one eyebrow raised quizzically and obviously waiting for Brayden’s answer, but all Brayden can do is stare.

The guy is wearing a simple black shirt that clings to his shoulders nicely and leaves his arms exposed for Brayden to ogle. He has very pale blond hair that artfully falls into his face and his eyes are very light and very intense and also looking right at Brayden so he should probably say something.

“Uhhh,” is the only thing he manages, but the bartender seems to somehow understand him anyway, because he nods and turns around to grab a glass from a shelf and some ice. The move gives Brayden a great view of his ass in the tight black jeans he’s wearing and Brayden has to swallow, because his mouth suddenly feels very dry.

His view is interrupted when the bartender turns back around and places a glass with a clear liquid, some ice cubes, a straw, and a cocktail umbrella in front of him. It’s very far from the beer Brayden had wanted, but he takes a sip anyway and makes a face.

“This is water,” he complains and the bartender smirks at him. 

“Yup,” he confirms and then he turns away to take someone else’s order. Brayden should probably be mad, but he isn’t really, because the change in expression did great things for the guy’s face. 

The next time the bartender looks in his direction he tries to get his attention again. “Okay, that was funny, but I’d really like a beer now,” he says, leaning on the counter. The guy raises an eyebrow at him again and it looks really judgemental and definitely shouldn’t make Brayden’s stomach flutter like that. 

“I don’t think so,” he says, slowly. “I think you’ve had enough.” Brayden tries giving his best puppy eyes, but that just seems to amuse the guy. “I can get you another water,” he offers. 

Brayden considers this for a moment. “Maybe something else? Something not alcoholic, I mean,” he adds when the bartender raises his eyebrow again. It’s really a very nice eyebrow, kind of bushy but darker than his hair and framing his eyes very nicely.

“You want anything specific or should I surprise you again?” he asks, with a smile this time, and Brayden might like that even better than the smirk. It’s kind of gentle and makes him feel like when he does well in practice and one of the vets claps him on the back.

“Surprise me,” he says and leans his elbows on the bar so he can rest his head and watch the bartender better. The bartender gives him another tiny smile and Brayden is very pleased with himself.

Watching the bartender actually make his drink this time is fascinating. He twirls a couple of bottles and spins and shakes things and Brayden gets distracted by how large his hands look around the cocktail shaker. He can’t help but wonder how they would look on his waist or maybe wrapped around his wrists.

Brayden snaps back to attention when a glass is set down in front of him again. This time it’s something bright red with splashes of orange swirling within. Brayden doesn’t even ask what it is before he takes a sip.

It’s good. Really good, actually. Like an explosion of different fruits, strawberry and cherry and more, with something a bit minty as an aftertaste. 

“Hmm, this is great,” Brayden mumbles, lips still wrapped around his straw so he can take another sip straight away. The bartender’s eyes seem a lot darker when Brayden looks up again and Brayden wishes he would come a bit closer so he could see better.

Instead the guy shakes his head a little and then turns to walk to the other end of the bar where his colleague is dealing with another patron.

“Hey, wait!” Brayden calls, and it might be a bit loud but he has to make sure he’s heard over the quiet music playing in the background. The bartender turns back and Brayden realizes that he doesn’t actually have anything to say. “I— uh, when do you get off?” he manages and that was maybe a bit more direct than he’d originally planned on being.

“Past your bedtime, I’m pretty sure,” the bartender says and, well, that’s a pretty clear rejection, as far as Brayden can tell. He must make some kind of face, because the bartender plucks one of the tiny cocktail umbrellas from their box, unfolds it and then carefully pushes it into Brayden’s hair. “Maybe ask me when you’re not quite that drunk, yeah?” he says and then he’s gone.

Brayden blinks a couple of times and has to resist the urge to reach up and touch the bright blue paper umbrella stuck just behind his ear.

—————

 

When Braden wakes up the next day he’s absolutely mortified. He manages to drag himself out of his bed to get a glass of water and some advil, while he vows to never go back to that bar, no matter how hot that bartender was.

He keeps the umbrella though.

————— 

It’s possible that paying attention to the name of the bar one vows to never enter again might be slightly important.

“Oh shit,” is all Brayden manages to say when he walks in and recognizes where they are.

“Keep moving, rookie, you’re blocking the entrance,” Boyler says from behind him and then simply moves Brayden out of the way instead of waiting for him to react.

“I can’t be here,” Brayden says, slightly panicked, but Johnny just grabs his arm and drags him along.

“Don’t worry, no one’s gonna check your ID, and if they do, it’s gonna be fine. Bish is friends the owner,” Johnny reassures, missing Brayden’s point completely, but Brayden can’t very well tell him that the real reason he can’t be here is that he’d made a complete idiot of himself in front of the hot bartender. “You got your first goal, rookie, we need to celebrate that!” Johnny goes on, not noticing any of Brayden’s tension.

Brayden lets Johnny pull him to a table and tries to relax a bit as he sits down on the seat next to him. There’s no reason the same bartender would even be working. There’s really no reason Brayden can’t just be lucky for once in his life. 

He glances over to the bar and of course there’s a familiar head of very attractive blond hair. Brayden sinks down deeper in his seat. Still, he might not actually have to go to the bar and talk to him. The others brought plenty of drinks to the table last time. It’s gonna be fine.

————— 

Brayden’s decided that he loves drinking with Johnny and Pally. They’re just...they’re so much fun. Especially together. And they keep making him try new stuff, some of which slightly burns his throat, but some that actually tastes pretty good as well. 

“You know what we need?” Johnny asks, and his eyes look surprisingly unblurry. Brayden looks at him with wide eyes, trying to pay attention, because Johnny has the best ideas. “We need some cocktails,” he decides and then Brayden is following him towards the bar. 

The room is a bit crowded and Brayden loses sight of Johnny when they reach the bar. He leans against the smooth surface and tries to spot him over the heads of the other patrons.

“Can I help you?” a familiar voice asks behind Brayden and while he’s turning around he suddenly remembers why going to the bar had been a really bad idea.

“Oh, fuck,” he says unthinkingly and the handsome face in front of his creases with confusion. He’s wearing a gray shirt today and it’s not any less distracting than the black one was. “Oh no, I just meant— uhm,” Brayden tries to explain himself, but before he can get anything out, Johnny appears.

“Hey, Val!” he greets the bartender cheerfully. “You’ve already met our rookie?” The bartender, Val, apparently, gives Johnny an amused look.

“I have,” he says with a look at Brayden that tells him there is absolutely no chance he’s forgotten about the last time. Brayden desperately wants the floor to swallow him up and to make things even worse he can feel his face heating up. It doesn’t get better when Johnny slides up to him and wraps an arm around his shoulder to pull him closer.

“He scored his first goal today,” he says proudly, “and we’re here to celebrate!” He shakes Brayden slightly and Brayden finally dares to look up again.

“Congratulations,” Val says, softer than Brayden would have expected and Brayden really wishes he hadn’t had that much to drink so his brain could come up with a proper response. Johnny saves him from having to say anything.

“So, what do you recommend? For celebratory drinks, I mean,” he clarifies. “I was thinking cocktails, something sweet with lots of alcohol.” Val looks considering for a moment.

“How about I surprise you?” he asks, and Brayden immediately thinks back to the last time he was here and blushes again. Johnny also seems to like the idea.

“Good plan. Make something for Pally too, yeah?” he suggests, which makes Val smile again. 

“Of course, wouldn’t wanna neglect your better half,” he says, teasing lightly and Johnny grins up at him. 

Brayden’s just starting to enjoy the fact that he can just stare at Val making the cocktails without having to actually open his mouth and embarrass himself this time, when Johnny claps him on the shoulder and disappears with a, “I’m gonna go get Pally while you keep Val company.”

Val looks at Johnny’s retreating back with a fond expression on his face and Brayden shuffles awkwardly on his feet, desperately trying to think of something clever to say while Val starts pulling out different bottles and cutting up some fruit. “You look like you could use something sweet, but maybe not alcoholic,” Val says, turning back to him and Brayden actually jumps a bit at the sudden attention.

“Oh, I— If you think so?” he says, hesitantly, not sure what Val is getting at and slightly distracted by the quick way Val is slicing an orange without even looking down at it. “You’re not just gonna give me water again, are you?” he asks, making a face at the thought of the other guys’ reactions to that. Val laughs and it’s a low and pleasant sound.

“No, don’t worry. You need a proper reward for your goal, don’t you?” he says, his eyes sparkling, and Brayden’s brain apparently decides to turn off for a second.

“I can think of something better than a drink you could give me for that,” he says and immediately wants to disappear even though Val just lets out a laugh in response. “Sorry, that was— I’m really, uh— Can we just forget I said that?” he stutters out, staring down at the dark, clean surface of the bar.

A hand gently grabs his chin to tilt his head back up and when Brayden raises his eyes, Val is really close to him. “One of these days you’re gonna proposition me when you’re sober,” he says, voice low and kind of husky, “and I might even take you up on it.” Then he winks at Brayden and lets go of his chin, going back to preparing his fruit like he hadn’t just turned Brayden’s world upside down.

————— 

When Brayden wakes up the next day he’s just as hungover as the last time and this time he doesn’t even have a paper umbrella to show for it. He still feels like, overall, the evening went a lot better. 

————— 

After the next home win, Brayden can barely sit still while he waits for his teammates to finish showering. “What’re you so excited about?” Jo asks, but Brayden just gives him a blinding smile and doesn’t answer.

When they get to the bar Brayden doesn’t even make an attempt to follow his team to a free table, but makes his way straight to the bar. He ignores Johnny’s calls to bring them some beer and makes his way through the throng of people crowded around the bar. He briefly considers waiting a bit. The bar looks busy and he doesn’t want to distract Val too much. He discards the idea after a second though. He has to know if Val actually meant what he said.

His heart is beating like he’d just gotten off the ice and he prays that he’s not sweating through his nicest t shirt. The guy in front of him finally moves out of the way and Brayden can squeeze through to the front.

“What can I get you?” a voice asks him right away. A high-pitched, female voice. Brayden does a double take. The woman standing in front of him is the same one he’d seen working here before, but he still somehow didn’t expect this.

“Sorry, I’m just—” he starts, turning to look at the other bartender. It’s not Val either. Brayden shakes his head. “Excuse me, I have to…” he trails off, feeling a bit lost and the bartender just gives him a skeptical look and turns to the guy next to him instead.

It’s stupid that Brayden had been so sure that Val would be here. It’s not like he ever said anything about where Brayden could find him and he probably hadn’t even meant—

“Can I buy you a drink?” a voice next to Brayden says and he turns, refusal already on his lips, but stops.

Val is standing next to him, leaning up against the bar and not behind it for a change. He’s wearing a white t shirt today and he looks just as amazing as he did before. “Or we could get some dinner sometime, if you’d prefer that,” he adds, a small smile on his lips.

“Oh, I— yeah,” Brayden says, feeling his face go hot, but not minding in the slightest. A smile spreads across his face. “I’d really love that, actually.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this!
> 
> If you wanna talk about anything relating to the story, please leave me a comment or feel free to come talk to me on my [writing Tumblr](https://vidrianawrites.tumblr.com/)!


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